The standards that all Victorian Government staff must follow or adhere to are:
- Whole of Victorian Government (WoVG) style guide
- International Plain Language Standard – access through Victorian Government Library Service (VGLS login is required but is free to sign-up)
- Current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
- Brand Victoria guidelines.
Victorian Government style guide
The Victorian Government has a style guide to make sure all departments write and create content in the same way. The Victorian Government style guide sets out the way we speak with our audience including:
- grammar
- punctuation
- formatting
- tone of voice
- use of language.
The Victorian Government style guide mostly follows the Australian Government Style Manual. It also provides guidance on common style queries unique to the Victoria Government.
All activities listed under the ‘scope’ section must be created according to the style guide.
Sticking to the style guide means our content will be consistent. This means people will know what to expect from us.
Plain language standard
Plain language is a system of writing that is clear, direct and easy to understand. It has no ambiguity or unnecessarily difficult words. Writing in this way makes it easier for everyone to understand. This is especially important for:
- people with disability
- people with low reading ability
- people with low English language skills.
The International Organization for Standardization published the international plain language standard (ISO 24495-1:2023) in June 2023.
All Victorian Public Service and Special bodies will adopt the international plain language standard. This means all content must meet the plain language rules set out in the standard.
The standard only applies to printed or digital information in text form. However, creators of other types of communication (podcasts and videos) will find the standard useful.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
The WCAG guidelines are the most used guidelines for accessible web development. They make digital content universally accessible.
There are three levels of WCAG:
- Level A: the minimum level
- Level AA: the medium level
- Level AAA: the highest level
In Victoria, all digital content and websites must, at a minimum, meet the current WCAG version Level AA. As of January 2025, this is WCAG 2.2. We encourage people to aim for Level AAA where possible
Brand
All Victorian Government communication and advertising must follow the guidelines set out in Brand Victoria.
Brand Victoria is the look and feel (graphics, typography and navigation) for the Victorian Government. If you produce anything for the State Government of Victoria – including an agency or statutory body – you must follow these brand guidelines.
It provides an overview of how the combination of brand elements has an important role in accessibility. It also has detailed information on the accessibility colour palette, with recommended font sizes.
By following the Brand Victoria guidelines and picking colours from the approved palette and themes you can ensure content will be ‘accessible by design’.
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